Diaper washing apparatus



P 1953 J. w. SAMPSON ET AL 2,652,711

DIAPER WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1949 1 171 527 far 5 ,L/JMIJ M SAM/30A 594K155 /%Wm (lawn/v Patented Sept. 22, 1953 OFFICE DIAPER WASHING APPARATUS James W. Sampson and Charles Mervin Champion, Sheridan, Wyo.

Application August 16, 1949, Serial No. 110,486

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to washing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for the washing and partial drying of small articles of apparel, such as diapers.

Since time immemorial the problem of cleansing or washing diapers and similar children's garments has plagued mankind. The long-felt and widespread need for a simple, inexpensive, easily operated washing apparatus for this purpose will be evident.

The present invention now provides washing apparatus for this purpose and obviates the necessity of performing the disagreeable and unsanitary task of manually cleansing diapers and the like.

The apparatus of the present invention includes a backing plate having a substantially plane upper washing surface and opposed upturned marginal flanges, the entire washing surface and the integrally formed flanges providing a smooth sanitary washing surface upon which debris will not accumulate. Means are also provided for retaining an article to be washed in position upon the washing surface, as well as means for removing excessive moisture from the article following washing. These means desirably take the form of a single wringer roll which is journaled between the opposing marginal flanges of the washing surface. The roll is urged toward the washing surface by suitable means to retain an article to be washed in position between the washing surface and the roll.

Preferably, the roll is journaled within inclined slots formed in the washing surface flanges, so that to wring the clothes it is merely necessary to pull the washed article from its position between the washing surface and the roller. The force which is applied to so remove the washed article is at least partially resolved into a vertical component by reason of movement of the roll within the inclined slots. The vertical component of force thus applied to the roll urges the roll toward the washing surface, and frictional contact between the washed article and the roll causes rotation of the roll to effectively wring excessive moisture from the washed article.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved, inexpensive, easily employed washing apparatus.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide an improved washing apparatus in which an article to be washed is maintained in contact with a washing surface by means of a wringer roll.

A further important object of the present in- 2 vention is to provide an improved washing apparatus in which excessive moisture is removed from a washed article interposed between a washing surface and a wringer roll by merely pulling the article from its interposed position.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide washing apparatus in which excessive moisture is removed from a Washed article positioned upon a Washing surface and interposed between the surface and a wringer roll by merely pulling the article from its interposed position in frictional contact with the wringer roll, the force exerted in so removing the washed article serving to urge the wringer roll into squeezing engagement with the washed article to effectively remove moisture therefrom.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away,-showing the positioning of washing apparatus of the present invention within a toilet bowl or the like;

I Figure 2 is a plan elevational view of washing apparatus of the present invention showing an article to be Washed positioned therein; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane III-III of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, reference numeral I0 refers generally to washing apparatus of the present invention positioned within a toilet bowl ll.

As best shown on Figures 2 and 3, the washing apparatus of the present invention comprises a backing plate l2 having a substantially plane upper washing surface and opposed integrally formed, upstanding marginal side walls l3 extending substantially normal to the plane of the washing surface of the backing plate 12. A handle 14 extends between the flanges 13 substantially parallel to the plane of the backing plate l2, the handle [4 being provided with terminal downturned ears [5 secured to the flanges by suitable means, as by rivets I6.

Each of the flanges I3 is provided with an elongated, inclined slot l1 adjacent to one edge thereof, and a wringer roll I8 formed of suitable material, such as rubber, plastic, wood, metal, or the like, is journalled in the slots l'l. Each end face of the roll l8 carries a stub shaft l9 fixedly secured therein and extending through each of the slots [1, each of the stub shafts l9 having an 3. enlarged head 20 outside the flange [3 to prevent displacement of the roll IS.

The roll I8 is urged toward the upper plane surface of the backing plate [2 by means of a pair of coil springs 2|, each of which is secured at one end to one of the flanges l3 adjacent one end thereof, as by rivets 22. The free end of each of the springs 2! is secured to the adjacent stub shaft Is. It will thus be seen that the springs 2| urge the roll it downwardly within the slot ll toward the backing plate l2.

The operation of the device of the present invention will be evident from the drawings. A diaper D or similar article to be washed is positioned within the apparatus in generally rfiatwise contact with the upper plane surface of the backing plate l2, the article D being securedin posi tion by being interposed between the backing plate [2 and the roll l8. Next, the apparatus m is positioned within means for providing drainage for water or other washing medium introduced onto the article D, preferably within a toilet bowl ii, as'shown in Figure 1. Water is next introduced onto the article D by suitable means, as from nozzle N shown in Figure 1.

Following the rinsing orwashing of the article D, excessive moisture is wrung from the article by merely pulling the same in a plane substantially coincident with that of the backing plate 12 to pass the article D between theroll l8 and the backing surface. It will be readily understood that the force required to remove the article will be slight inasmuch as the backing surface [2 is substantiallylplane. However, such force as is required will beat least partially resolved into a force exerted vertically on the roll I8 since the rollis journaled within the inclined slots l1. The vertical component of the force employed to remove the article D, in conjunction with the force exerted upon the roll it by the springs 2 I, will cause tight frictional engagement between the roll and thearticle D, so that excessive moisture is effectively wrung from the article during its removal from the apparatus.

The advantages residing in the present invention will be immediately evident to those skilled in the art. First, the plane upper surface of the backing plate I2 and the upturned flanges 1 3 resent no interference to the ready washing of debris from the article D. Thus, the apparatus is sanitary in use and readily employed. Second, the roll I8 is urged against the backing plate l2 by means of the springs 2| and thus serves to retain an article to be washed in position upon the backing plate I2. Third, the device l0 efiectively removes excessive moisture from the article D by means of the roll it. Fourth, the roll I8 is urged against the backing plate 12 both by the springs "2| 'and bythe force required to remove the article D from its position upon the backing plate i2, thus insuring efiicient moisture removal.

It will'also be apparent that various modifications may be made without departing from the novel concept herein presented. For example,

the'springs 25 may be made of sufficient strength so that it is not necessary to employ the inclined slots 'l'i. Also, sufiicient wringing action may be obtained by relying solely upon the force exerted upon the roller during removal of the article D to wring the article, thus making possible the elimination of the springs .25. Further, the flanges l3 may be formed separately from the backing plate 52 and secured thereto by suitable means, as by welding, brazing, or the like.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scopeof the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

In washing apparatus, a board, upstanding flange means disposed on opposite sides'of said board and having aligned slots adjacent one end of said board and inclined toward said board and toward said one end thereof, a wringer roll Journalled for rotation in said slots, :and means to resiliently urge said wringer roll toward board.

JAMES "W. SAMPSUN.

CHARLES MEBVIN CHAMPION.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 96,511 lower Nov. 2, 1869 586,882 Thompson July 20, 1897 1,464 945 Pierson Aug. 7, 1923 1,783,147 Barnard Nov. 25, 1930 

